The Essence of God

The Essence of God

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Luke 7: 
44Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.45You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet.46You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet.47Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven--for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little."48Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."49The other guests began to say among themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?"50Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."                                       

John 8:

17In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two men is valid.18I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me."19Then they asked him, "Where is your father?" "You do not know me or my Father," Jesus replied. "If you knew me, you would know my Father also."

It is not uncommon to think and wonder about the very essence of God.  The question on peoples mind is, "What is God really like?"  The answer is not far from the question. The reality, the Truth is  Jesus gives us the answer!

In this scripture, Simon is a Pharisee who has invited Jesus into his home for a meal.  The woman in the story found in Luke is an intruder which I am told was not uncommon in the times of Jesus.  When someone famous would come into a town and visit people, interested parties would make themselves welcome to the visit.  In this case the woman just walked into the discussion and did what she did.  She obviously loved Jesus based on what she did for Jesus and desired to serve him.  Maybe, she had even seen the lack of hospitality of Simon.

What is interesting in this story is how Jesus chastised Simon for not being a better host and how the others there were no doubt amazed at Jesus forgiving the woman's sins.

As Christians we find no amazement in this.  We know Jesus forgives sins.  But, for the times of Jesus, providing the forgiveness of sins was only something God can do.  Therefore, in this passage we see Jesus clearly and rightly claiming to be God and based on the passage above from John 8, we see the essence of Jesus and therefore the essence of God.

The great teacher Jesus allows this woman, clearly a sinful woman to do what she did to teach a lesson and define an Essence of God.

The lesson here is that we must give Jesus uppermost priority in our lives.  When we accept Jesus in our lives we must do everything to make Him welcome and the number one priority in our life!  In Jesus' visit with Simon, Simon did none of the normal traditional things of the day that were mentioned by Jesus.  But the woman, a stranger to Simon's home, she did!  By her actions, she clearly loved Jesus and she wanted to serve Him!

In the woman's behavior we see her contriteness for her sins.  It does not say anything in the scripture about her sins, she must have understood that Jesus knew her sins.  From this, we see the Essence of God.  By faith and Bible study, as we know Jesus, we too know God!  In that, our relationship with Jesus, God, and the Holy Spirit is established.

God wants peace in our lives that allows us to serve him better and this peace comes from knowing we are forgiven of our sins.  In our humility toward Jesus, just as the woman, we find our peace in our personal relationship with God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, but most of all we find forgiveness.  
All this, in God's Grace, 
only and 
just because 
                                         He loves us.


In Faith, In Grace, In your heart, 
Know Jesus, Know God,
confessing your sins, then 
in the forgiveness of your sins 
you can live, truly live, 
and live triumphly in the peace, joy, and
guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Love- The Very Essence of God!

Thanks be to God.

lonnie

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© Lonnie Coggins
ldcoggins@gmail.

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God has very well made most obvious what is essential of his desires toward us.  With this message I hope the very basic nature of God will be quite clear.  Click the link for the message.  Share on Facebook as you feel led to do so.

http://lonnieadailythought.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-essence-of-god.html

lonnie 

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A Thought on the Resurrection                    July 15
In the Beginning God...                                 July 12
A Few Things to Pray For                            July 11
A Thought on Self-Control                           July 9
Six Key Words for Successful Living           July 5
Finding Confidence in Trusting God           July 4
The Essence of God                                       June 17
The Dangers of What "I" Can Do               June 14

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The Genius of Jesus, The Blindness of Power  Feb 10th

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Finding Peace in Our  
   Circumstantial Discontentment                  Feb 3rd

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More Thoughts On Prayer                       Jan 16th

Give thanks in All Circumstances? Really?  Jan 13th

Why Did Jesus Pray So Often         Jan 3rd - update

The Power of Prayer                        Jan 2nd 2013
Part 1     Part 2     Part 3

Borders In Our Lives Bring Real Freedom   Jan 2nd

Why Do We Stand In Amazement 
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Great Expectations of the Magi               Dec 27th

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Christmas Time in the Trenches              Dec 25th

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What Line Are You In                              Dec 12th

Living Worry Free                                    Dec 12th

Radical Ideas                                              Dec 9th

Encouragement- Food for the Soul          Dec 6th

The Irony of Jesus and Christianity         Dec 3rd

Random Thoughts - on Faith                    Dec 1st

The Goodness of Knowing When You are Lost   Nov 27

The Leadership Skills of Jesus,            Nov 23rd
      Setting the Example

Thoughts on the Danger of What "I" Can Do

Thoughts on the Danger 
   of What "I" Can Do
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For a long time in my life I thought I was a pretty smart guy.  
While in the Air Force "I" did some really neat stuff,  "I" was successful in business and teaching careers.  

"I", at age 24, developed for a Vietnam combat required emergency the navigation techniques to air-drop a 2000 lb bundle from 10,000 feet and consistently hit the leading edge of a soccer field.  

"I", as a young first lieutenant took that airdrop project to Vietnam, trained about 20 other crews how to do it and helped save the lives of 300 soldiers surrounded by 40,000 bad guys.  One of the best job activities I have ever been a part of.

"I" 'saved' my crew one monsoon rainy, stormy night, when almost out of gas and no visibility outside the cockpit of our C-130 plane, and ground control could not 'paint' our airplane because of the storm, "I" used "my" navigation skills, "my" talent, and "my" abilities to talk the pilot to the runway.  The pilot never saw the runway until I told him to flare (pull up) the nose and settle the plane for landing.

"I" started and had a successful business.

"I" was a good middle school teacher.

"I" did a lot of unusual stuff very successfully in my life.

BUT,

     my first night in Vietnam I was so scared of dying that I knew that on the next day I would not be able to function.  It was staggering great responsibilities I felt for what I had ahead of me the next day.  For some reason, that night I prayed, something I had not done in years.  In that prayer God relieved my burden and the next day "I" started implementing the air drop procedures and process described above.

In those next days, "I" also forgot about what God did for me.  It took me 37 years to come full circle to realize and came to understand that "I" had done nothing.  I had also prayed about how to do the process of dropping those bundles on the soccer field and God had shown me the way.  God truly showed me how to do that airdrop procedure, God relieved me of my burdens and then, .. I forgot about Him! Stupid, Stupid, Stupid.

If I have learned anything in this life, 

whatever it is that we do, 

we do more if we allow God to direct our lives.  

In my lowest moments in those days now 41 years ago, 

God, 

when requested through prayer, 

lead me to the solutions,
calmed my heart
and helped me save many people.

It often comes to mind that I could have done so much more in those 37 intervening years if I had prayed daily as earnestly as I prayed in those days of the Spring of 1972.  Prayers came to me from time to time, mostly in times of crises and I prayed often when teaching my SS class, praying for Guidance of my words.  But, only on the rare occasion of a crises in my life did I pray.  I do not remember praying about business decisions, family decisions, even if I should teach middle school.

On our own, we may do some good things with our life.  But, I thank God He showed me His power in those prayers in those hard days of 1972 and what He can do through me when I allow Him to guide me.  Again, I regret it took 37 years for me to realize that "I" is dangerous.

It is my testimony that the biggest problem of achieving our greatest accomplishment is one little word, "I".  God gives us our brain and its capabilities, he give us life and the breath to sustain live, He gives us the desire and will to do our best, and everything else we have.  We owe to Him everything we accomplish, for without Him we truly are not much more than dust, at best we are dirt, and maybe not even good dirt.  In giving everything we do to His Glory, He will give us more opportunities to serve Him.

A most simple direct example-- I do not consider myself much of a writer, but, when I allow Him to guide my words, some good words are on this page.  Maybe I am "wordy", maybe I mispell a word, drop a comma, maybe a hanging participle lingers around, maybe sometimes I do not even make a bit of sense, but I try my best, seek His guidance, and it seems to work.  All this, from a me, a guy that required three semesters to complete freshman college English Composition.

I appreciate you, my readers, for your encouragement. I write what I feel moved to write and a good many of you seem to like it, take the time to read, feel moved by it, and then feel encouraged to do more.

My testimony, "Seek ye first His Kingdom...", letting God guide you to where He wants you to be, and you and those around you will be the better for it.  (Matthew 6:33)

Above all, do not let "I", your inborn self-centered selfishness, get in your way of what you should be doing and being what God has planned for you.  Pray and pray and pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and God will build your faith as the Holy Spirit guides your life into far greater accomplishment than what only "I" can do.

"I" is perhaps the most dangerous word we use to cloud our lives, hinder our vision, and hold us back in our doubts.  "Seek first the Kingdom", it is, after all, a command of Jesus!  

We truly are strongest and at our greatest potential,
when we humble ourselves to God 

asking for His guidance in all we accomplish for Him.

Thanks be to God,
lonnie

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A Couple Thoughts on Prayer

A Couple Thoughts on Prayer
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God's Grace
In faith we pray and receive God' Grace. 

God's Grace, Gifts, and Generosity is
    far beyond what we deserve,
       worth far more than we could every repay,
           is far greater than what we could ever earn,
   and that is the way God wants it.
God does not want us to have anything to do with His grace but to be humble enough to accept it, realize how much He loves us and understand how much He wants us to know Him.

When we are humble enough to understand that then we will be most authentic in our prayers.

Prayer is an Act of Faith and Trust

One of the great humble acts of our faith is our trust to ask others to pray for us. And, in our prayers, the prayers we request for ourselves, the prayers we request for others, the prayers others have for us, and in the prayers we have for others, God builds our our faith and we build our Trust in Him.  In our humility we are the most receptive to His guidance and in that, God does His best work on us.
    Great is our God. Praise be to our Lord God.

Authentic Prayers

Authentic prayers are the ones 
when we feel most humble toward God, 
feeling the need and desire of His Guidance, and 
most of all, acceptance of His answers.  

In our humility 
we easier submit in obedience 
to our Salvation through Jesus 
and 
have a proven barrier shielding us 
        our selfish arrogant sinfulness.

As we pray for ourselves we should also in the same prayer pray to be in God's will.  It is so easy to have a need and pray for God to answer that need and He will, but it is also easy to slip into praying for our wants without realizing we are also slipping into selfishness.
  
In praying for too many of our wants 
we may very quickly 
be disappointed with HIS answers.

Praying for others is probably our most authentic prayers.  
We are not very likely to pray for their wants and
   but be most discerning and earnest 
         in our prayers for their needs.

Our Humility is found in our most authentic prayers. 

Prayers begin best on our knees and 
             ends authentically with 
                 "not my will but yours be done".

Please pray for me and my wife,
thanks be to God,
lonnie

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publication 140

Menu Prayer

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Prayer is the instrument that God gives us to communicate with Him, and our problems are we do not use that instrument enough and often we misuse our prayers to God.  God has created us in His image and with that, just as parents want to talk with their children, so to does God want to hear from us.

In the Power of Prayer, a discussion of a time in my life at 24 years old that I was helpless, hopeless, and without any solution to a serious combat problem in Vietnam.  Part 1 lays the outline of the problem and Part 2 is based on part 1 and describes how God so clearly led me to the solution of a very real combat need in Vietnam.  Part 3 is observations I have come to understand over the 40 years since.

Finding Real Life Through Prayer
Part 1       Part 2

The Power of Prayer
Part 1      Part 2      Part 3

More Thoughts On Prayer

Faith and Prayer, the Connection

Why Did Jesus Pray So Often?

Self-Made-Confidence is a Slippery Slope to Failure

10 Elements God Wants in Our Prayers

A Couple Thoughts on Prayer

A Few Things to Pray For

D-Day, The Day the Sea Turned Red

The Day the Sea Turned Red © - 

A truthful story of D-Day, June 6, 1944

By Lonnie Coggins 

There are moments in history historians point to and say, ”There is a turning point that changed the world and influences where we are today”. This is the true story of just such a day. A day the Eagles flew high and led the way.

It was summer, a cool mist floated on the sea from the vantage point of the high cliffs overlooking the beach. It was a peaceful day as it had rained all night. It was just like many of the nights in all the years the interlopers had roosted on the cliffs in their unnatural harden bunkers. The rain the night before had given rise to calm seas.

As the interloper gazed out over the sea it was peaceful, there was no cause for alarm. There had been disturbances inland the night before but nothing could be confirmed. Over the previous four years much planning and work had been put in place to make sure the peacefulness would stay that way. But the guards of the Atlantic Wall were about to witness a turn in the tide in history. A tide that would turn to blood red as the enemy came ashore. But from an enemy that would prevail, an enemy with purpose, highly trained, motivated and ready to preserve in any adversity.

Suddenly at 5:00am, on the horizon the sea was filled with ships. More ships that could be seen in one gaze of the eye, more ships than could be counted, more ships than the German High Command could ever imagine. These ships and the men they carried would turn the tide of battle. In that same instance the peaceful tranquil of the sea turned into the hell of battle. Explosions were every where on the cliffs and beach. But the explosions hardly dented the 13 feet thick walls of the bunkers. Ninety minutes later the small ships or the fleet started coming to shore and for the next eight hours a battle for real estate ragged.

It was H-Hour, 6:30 AM, June 6, 1944, D-Day. This beach was code named ‘Omaha’, the place was Normandy France, the enemy were the Americans. This was the beginning of the battle that changed the face of the twentieth century. All history of the twentieth century pivots around this day. The greatest movement of people, troops, and materiel in history of mankind was underway. The beginning of the end of World War II was at hand.

The interlopers, the German troops, had the high ground and their bunkers were concrete, 13 feet thick. The beaches from Cherbourg, France North to Belgium were mined with two million explosives. On the beach, barbed wire and 500,000 huge welded pieces of six inch ’I’ beams were lined up end to end as far as the eye could see. This bench was fortified that no army would dare come ashore much less think they could think they could really take it. The slaughter would be unacceptable of any civilized commander, or so the Germans though.

The U.S. Army was given just three hours to take the beach before they were to continue inland. Sea sick as their landing craft were driving toward the beach, shells started exploding, and the killing began. When the ramps of their landing boats were dropped, the dying continued. Most of the guys going ashore were teenagers and had never shot a gun at another human, just like many of the young Germans.

But the Americans would not quit coming, they kept coming and coming, in spite of the dying. Finally, after an hour many Americans had made it to shore just to be pinned down, and many died after reaching a small rock wall running the length of the beach.

An American General starts walking the wall extorting the scared young men to go over the wall and fight their way up the cliffs. In one platoon whose officer was dead, one sergeant shouted at his group, “Come on guys, let’s make some of them die before they kill us.” Thirty minutes later the sergeant was given a battlefield promotion to Lieutenant. The general told him to work his way up to and blow a gap in the wall protecting the high ground.  Under withering enemy gun fire, the new Lieutenant moved forward and dug a hole for the explosive charge. Several other sappers brought up their charges and returned to safety. While returning to his men with the spool of wire to blow the charge he was shot by a sniper. He died, instantly.  All the hunkered down soldiers saw the entire process, nothing was being said as the reality of the moment was absorbed. Fifteen then thirty seconds passed, then suddenly, without orders or further hesitation, someone raced out to the wire, grabbed the spool, and melted into a hole. The teenager set the wires to his detonator and then glanced at the General far behind where the men had done their work. The General nodded at the young man. The young man cranked the detonator and the blast from the work of the now dead Lieutenant blew a gap in the wall, as planned. The great fortress was compromised. Down came the small first section of the so called great Atlantic Wall. Some of the lucky ones who made it to this point could then work their way through to the high ground. It still required four more hours until the Americans controlled the beach. A beach surf still running red from the men who died coming ashore, men who never saw the enemy, never shot their rifles, many who drowned, some who died in their landing craft before ever arriving at the beach.  All, bleeding for that beach named Omaha.

Over 2,200 American soldiers died in the eight hours it required to claim their piece of Normandy beach and changed the face of history. Their attack is enshrined in Bedford, Virginia at the National D-Day Memorial. The victory and the sacrifice will never be forgotten.

In June 1994 there was commemoration of D-Day, June 6, 1944, the 50th Anniversary. There were parades, solemn reunions of the men who fought the battles, and many remembrances to those who died.

During that commemoration, on television one evening there was an interview with noted D-Day historian Steve Ambrose. Mr. Ambrose was a famous historian who has spent much of his life interviewing over 6,000 men who fought at Omaha Beach. He has written numerous books about that day. One is simple named D-Day, the Climatic Battle of World War II.

Mr. Ambrose was being interviewed on national television by Dan Rather of CBS News about that day in June, 1944. Mr. Rather stated and asked Mr. Ambrose the following:

“Mr. Ambrose, on that day, June 6, 1944, by all accounts the Americans should have lost on the beach at Normandy code named Omaha. The Germans had the high ground, they were dug in, and the beaches were mined. The Americans should have never made a beachhead. How is it that the American soldiers won that day? To this day, most people understand the situation cannot understand why the Americans took the beach. How did they do it? What made the difference that day?"

Mr. Ambrose took no time in formulating an answer. It was if he had formulated the answer long ago. His answer thrilled the this Boy Scout leader.

Without hesitation Mr. Ambrose said,

“It was out Eagle Scouts that lead the way. It was our Eagle Scouts who lead our scouts up those beaches. It was our scouts who when one leader fell, another stepped up to be the leader. Our Eagle scouts provided the leadership to overcome the odds. It was our Eagle Scouts who overcame the German Youth Corps who made the difference that day.”

It is hard to say much more for Boy Scouting. We teach the same values today as our fathers and grandfathers were taught in the 1920’s and 1930’s. There is no greater endorsement for scouting than what Mr. Ambrose said that day. Eagle Scouts and the American raised Scouts overcame the German Youth Corps. The difference was values.

The battle that day was not just a battle for real estate, it was a battle for values. The values of the American Scouts that day won the tide of the battle.

I hope your children never have to go to war for his life and the life of our great country. But, our children need the same foundation of values that our men of D-Day. It provides the foundation that our young people need to overcome adversity for a successful life. You, the parents, can make that happen. While you give your children so much, do not forget to give them values for a successful life. Among the great values of Boy Scouting, learning perseverance in the face of adversity is a lesson wee all must learn to be successful. We thank God our fathers had learned that lesson in their scouting days. It affects our life still today.

America need the values of scouting instilled in the heart and soul of our young people. Make a difference in the life of your children. Boy and Girl Scouting is just a great beginning.

I am proud to be an American,
I am proud to be a Vietnam Veteran,
I am proud to be an Eagle Scout.
=============================================
I welcome your Comments:
Send to ldcoggins@gmail.com
Or send through facebook.

If you would like an electronic copy of this, send me your email, and I will return a copy you can print.

This is copyrighted. However, you may distribute it as long as my by-line is maintained, and my email is retained and it is not for resale.

May God Bless All our Veterans both in War and in Peace.

“Every Generation must fight for freedom,
And pass it on to the next.”
---President Ronald Reagan, 40th President of the United States.

10 Thoughts on Reducing Worry

Ten Thoughts on Reducing Worry

                                   

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Matthew 6:34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow,
                                        for tomorrow will worry about itself.
                                        Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Have you ever thought about how fruitless the time is that you spend worrying about stuff that you generally have no control over.  Be concerned about what you can control and have an affect on, but seek to put behind you the worry about things you cannot change, correct, or control.

1. You probably will hate this one, too bad, get over it:
   Have no Credit Card debt over 45 days old.  More specifically, charge nothing you cannot pay off within 15 days of the next billing cycle.  Burdensome debt is a great source of worry and becomes a barrier to our relationship with God.  Anything that is a barrier to our relationship with God is sinful.
   ...
2. You must accept the fact that your wants are not your needs and your needs are more important than your wants and you are "...big enough for your wants not to hurt you."
   ...
3. Live within your means (income), buying what you can truly afford and be happy with what you have.   You probably have far more than most people in the world; bigger and faster is not always better.
   ...
4. Living in humility* does not mean you have to be a doormat but just because you think of something does not mean you have to express it.  It is better, more productive, and creates longer lasting friendships to express nice and thoughtful ideas much more often than expressing hurtful personal thoughts to others that are merely opinions and accomplish nothing more than creating bad feelings.   Seek to be on good terms with all people around you but never compromise your faith and Trust in God. (*Living in meekness or boldness)
   ...
5. You may not like this but... Accept the fact that people are generally selfish, including yourself, leading to sinful thoughts, behavior, and verbal expressions (*).  The fact that this selfish sinfulness may be a part of our nature is not excuse for letting it happen.  In that selfish sinfulness we must realize we should apologize daily for that sinfulness in our lives toward others.  Likewise we must be quick to forgive, especially when we receive an apology.  Similarly, forgive others, even without receiving an apology.  Harboring ill feelings toward someone hurts you more than the other person, who most likely will forget about the transgression anyway.  (*Psalm 51:5)
   
   ...
6. Accept and Live without doubt and in great, continuing, earnest faith that God in raising Jesus from the dead verified, sanctified, and made Holy the life and teachings of Jesus.  Because of this, we must accept Him as Lord of our lives living in obedience to God's will as set forth by the example and teachings of Jesus.  Repent (daily) as directed by Jesus in his first command to us for as we are selfish toward others, certainly we are sinful toward God.
   ...
7. Pray and Pray and Pray Everyday to be in the Will of God through the Guidance through the Holy Spirit.  This is the example of Jesus.
   ...
8. Read your Bible daily, participate in a Bible Study and Spiritual Church Fellowship weekly.
   ...
9. Realize that it is through God's grace you are given life everyday, everything you have comes from Him, He blesses your abundantly, and in that it is not too much to give back to Him 1/10th of your earnings, also known as a Tithe.
   ...
10. Above all, "...Seek you first the Kingdom of God."
    I promise- You will be blessed in ways beyond your understanding and your fruitless worry.
    
    For concerns and worries you cannot change, you need to give them up to God praying and relying on His power and His answers to what you cannot change, correct, and/or control!
    Matthew 6:
    

    Do Not Worry

    6:25-33pp -- Lk 12:22-31

    25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?
    
    27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life ?
    
    28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
    
    31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.
    
    33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
    
    34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
    Thanks be to God
    To God be the Glory for anything I have done.
    lonnie
    
    
    
    © lonnie coggins
    
    
    For more on eliminating worry click:
                  Living without Worry
    
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Publication 137

Wants and Needs Control our Lives

Wants and Needs Control our Lives  

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   Fighting for what you want
         is a sure path 
            to unhappiness. 

Living in God's grace depending on Him to supply your needs brings abundant joy to the heart that only God can so graciously provide.  Learning to discern your needs from your wants is a life long journey with the Holy Spirit guiding your path.  WANTS are circumstancial in the everyday environment we find ourselves;  they change with the wind, grow with being met, and ultimately lead to self-distruction when you live life depending on your selfish self-confidence.   Persistent pursuit of our wants only leads to a life in chaos, but God's joy in our hearts brings peace to our lives.  

Pray for your needs to be met, it's ok to be specific, but end your prayers as Jesus did, "Not my will, but yours be done."

To have the Holy Spirit in your heart,
 "pray and pray and pray.... everyday".....
                                                especially for others.

Matthew 16:25 NIV [Jesus Speaking]

For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.

Thanks be to God

lonnie

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Publication 136